


Birthmarks

by Inthecloudsofmyimagination



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Birthmarks, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Boys Kissing, Cedric Diggory Lives, Cedric/Harry Potter, Fluff, Harric - Freeform, Harry Potter AU, Hedric, Hedric fluff, Hogwarts, M/M, No Sex, Non-Canon Relationship, Pre-Battle of Hogwarts, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Soulmates, magical university
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:41:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25047043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inthecloudsofmyimagination/pseuds/Inthecloudsofmyimagination
Summary: In the magical world, birthmarks appear on people as they reach the end of puberty/childhood. It is said that they are the mark of your soulmate. Each appears in different shapes, sizes, areas and colours, but most commonly found on the hip, shoulder, inner thigh, forearm, and back of the neck. One day, Harry wakes up with his very first birthmark.Continuing the au in which Hogwarts is open to college/university grade students. Cedric is in his second year of magical university.
Relationships: Cedric Diggory/Harry Potter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 204





	Birthmarks

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not used to writing short stories or oneshots - I'm more of a poet and a romance/fiction writer, but I love to write about Harry Potter ships in my spare time. This is the longest short fanfic or oneshot I've done so I'm sorry if it's a bit rushed at the end!

_He is more myself than I am.  
Whatever our souls are made of,  
his and mine are the same._

_1996 – Cedric survived – pre-war.  
Three months after the appearance of the birthmark._

_‘His soul might be the sun. I’ve never met anyone who had the sun for a soul.’_ Harry wrote in his diary first thing on a Monday morning. He was in the process of dissecting new information on his feelings for a certain Hufflepuff student. He re-read his quote, the ink smudged due to the clumsy placement of his arm as he sat up in the four-poster bed. Harry rubbed his eyes and closed his book, it was time to face up to the facts. He was indeed undeniably and candidly in love with Cedric Diggory. The next step: whatever the birthmark prompted him to do.

_The appearance of the birthmark._

“What do you think it means?” Ron asked as he sliced into a breakfast sausage. Hermione was leaning over to have a good look at the top of his shoulder. “it just appeared.”

“When did it appear?” Hermione asked, a furrowed look on her features.  
“Yesterday morning,” Ron murmured through a mouthful, still pulling his robes down so she could see. “At first I thought it was a bruise or a deformed freckle …. the sun gives them to me, you see ..”

Hermione was nodding as she inspected this beige marking on Ron’s shoulder. She was tenderly rubbing it as if it was a dirty mark that would come off in one swipe.

“I’ve seen them before,” she was saying. “Ones like this … some of them have been slightly different. Grey ones, black ones, dark brown, even pink …”

“I wonder what they mean because it definitely isn’t a freckle or normal birthmark.”

Hermione turned away from Ron’s bare shoulder and pulled out a large book from her bag.

“The book of _Wizarding injuries, scars and marks_ ,” she murmured, flicking through decrepit-looking pages to a chapter she seemed to have already covered.

“Who do you know with this weird-looking birthmark?” Ron asked thickly. “Is it even a birthmark? Because from what I know of birthmarks is that you’re born with them.”

Hermione nodded but she wasn’t entirely listening. Meanwhile, across from them, Harry was intrigued by this occurrence and was listening in when he was supposed to be completing a potion’s essay.

“Aha,” Hermione trilled, but she didn’t elaborate on her findings.  
“Viktor had one appear during his stay at Hogwarts. He updated me on it through his letters. Then not too long after, he got together with his fiance.” She said.

Harry folded his parchment and slid it into his potions textbook.  
“Do you think the birthmark made him fall in love?” Harry asked in wonder.

Hermione gazed at him over the top of the heavy book.  
“It’s a theory. And it states here, in the birthmark chapter, that there might be a mark that tells you your soulmate has been established. It’s called _The Mark of the soulmate_. If I remember correctly, Viktor said his girlfriend had a matching birthmark – just like his, except his was placed on his wrist and hers on her ankle. But they were the same shape and colour.”

Ron snorted. “Don’t tell me that you actually believe that nonsense.”  
Hermione didn’t reply.  
“Still writing to Vicky then?” he dryly asked, stuffing forkfuls of egg and toast into his mouth.  
Hermione turned a bright shade of scarlet. Harry counted the seconds before she would stand and strut away. She gathered her heavy book and other belongings then shoved them all into her bag.

“For your information, Ron, I am NOT in contact with _Vicky_ anymore!” and she hurried off out of the great hall. Harry counted for five seconds.

“You can’t tell me that you’re not curious about that theory,” said Harry to Ron who was still staring at the space that used to occupy Hermione. He adjusted his school shirt and robes then shrugged. “I think the soulmate thing is a load of bollucks.”

“So, you won’t think twice if you come across somebody with the same mark?”

Ron snorted again. “Unlikely.”

  
The birthmark was forgotten over the next few days. Hermione still hadn’t spoken to Ron. Harry was distracted by the lack of Draco Malfoy he wasn’t enduring, he told himself that there must be a reason why Draco was leaving him alone. But he was distracted again when Hufflepuff won a Quidditch match against Gryffindor; Cedric Diggory had pulled a surprise manoeuvre which resulted in catching Harry off-guard and capturing the golden snitch. Harry sulked for several days afterwards. The thing with Cedric was that Harry severely idolised him and became increasingly flustered whenever he spoke or passed by. Cedric had shown a great interest in Harry, perhaps a brotherly interest as he continuously gave Harry tips and advice on all things Quidditch and magic. But he had also been dating Harry’s crush, Cho Chang, which strained his emotions towards Cedric.

Then right in the middle of the week, Cedric surprised Harry with his presence. He was waiting outside Gryffindor tower when Harry emerged out of the portrait hole. His arms and legs froze when he clambered out, only to look up into Cedric’s kind, rounded eyes.

“Hi, Harry!” he said brightly. “I trust that you slept well?”  
“Erm, yeah, I-I guess,” Harry stammered as his throat tightened. He found himself falling into step beside Cedric who seemed to have acquired a few more inches of height since last summer.

“So, I was hoping we could talk about our next match. Did you hear we’re up against each other again?” Cedric was saying. Harry’s heart plummeted, he’d been hoping for a conversation other than Quidditch. Sure they both had that in common, but surely there was more common ground than matches and magic.

“Yeah, I heard. What did you want to talk about? You won the last match, there’s nothing for you to worry about.”  
Cedric squeezed between two first-years as they rounded a corner and carried on through a less crowded corridor. “Your team is the best Harry, if I hadn’t done that manoeuvre then you would have won. I feel it was a bit unfair to have done that on you.”

“No, I know all the tricks to Quidditch by now,” Harry replied hastily. “I should have known that I could do it too.” His cheeks felt hot within the cold stone confinements. They were in the dawn of winter and Cedric was like his own personal heater.

Cedric raised his eyebrows.  
“I still think it’s unfair.”  
“Hufflepuff deserves a win – Gryffindor should have a break from winning,” Harry reasoned.

Cedric paused and adjusted his bookbag over his shoulder.  
“Well, we in Hufflepuff agree that it’s not all about winning. We enjoy playing for fun, you know. It’s a thrill, right?” and then his lips curved into a smile while his eyes remained on Harry – he thought he saw them slink down towards his mouth, but when he blinked, Cedric was back to staring into his eyes.

“Yeah, of course. Sorry, I’m used to being so competent against Slytherin.”

Cedric was about to say something when out of nowhere, somebody across the hall shot a spell at Cedric’s bag which caused it to rip in two. Ink bottles, quills, textbooks, notebooks, and scrap pieces of parchment tumbled out of the gap and crashed onto the ground. Ink smashed everywhere, splashing the hem of Cedric’s new trousers and robes, with some spots landing on Harry in the process.

“Bugger!” Cedric muttered. Harry was surprised he hadn’t reacted more. He cast a venomous look towards the opponent, who scurried away before he could get a good look at their details. Blurred legs were all he could catch as they sprinted around the corner.

Harry swore rather loudly as he stooped to help clean the mess up.  
“Who the hell would do something stupid like this?” Harry mumbled.  
“Ah, don’t worry about it, Harry,” Cedric sighed. “being blessed in life doesn’t make a positive impact on everyone around you. All you get is jealousy. I’m quite good at Quidditch and a few of my subjects, this makes people feel inferior, or in short, I have a massive target on my back.”

And when he met Harry’s expression, he realized what he said was downright arrogant.  
“Oh, sorry – that … that was dumb. I should be thankful that’s all I have to worry about.”

Harry just focussed on siphoning off the ink. He pointed his wand at Cedric’s bag and muttered, “Reparo.” The boys watched as the seams knitted back together until the gap was whole once again.

Cedric scourgified the ink stains with a slow swipe of his wand.  
“Of course,” he murmured, shaking his head. “I totally forgot all about the repairing charm. A good thing it exists too, this bag is new.”

Harry was under the impression that Cedric purchased a new bag every year. He had a brand new one the year before and the year before that too. Cedric shoved his belongings inside the magically-sewn bag and stood up straight again with it hoisted over his shoulder. Harry was so close to him that he noticed Cedric’s dainty long lashes which curled ever so slightly at the top. And that’s when Harry saw it – a caramel-coloured marking in the shape of a misshapen circle. It wasn’t precise, a caramel splotch that took up an extraordinary shape and was the size of a thumbnail. The mark had appeared right in the centre of Cedric’s throat – where his adam’s apple bobbed.

He noticed Harry’s hard stare and self-consciously covered the area.  
“It’s a birthmark,” he muttered, “but …. It’s not really a birthmark. I mean- I wasn’t born with it.”

Harry remembered Ron’s newly discovered birthmark and started to seriously think about Hermione’s concept. They must mean something, four people just don’t have similar marks appear out of the blue. It had to be something to do with the magical world, perhaps it was to do with soulmates after all. He subconsciously wondered if Cho had an identical one appear, only if she was Cedric’s soulmate.

“Cedric, when did it turn up?” Harry asked, the cogs in his brain grinding and groaning at the suspicion of a new mystery. Cedric thought hard before answering.  
“A week ago, I think.” And then he bent his head low so it was at the same level as Harry’s. “why? Do you know what it means? Or … can birthmarks just randomly appear? I thought that perhaps it was a couple of freckles that absorbed each other when they appeared. But then again, I’m not a freckly guy.”

Harry didn’t know whether to tell him about Ron and what Hermione read in _Wizarding injuries, scars and marks._ But Cedric was already invested in any knowledge so whilst they strolled down the corridor, Harry recounted the events at breakfast, including Hermione’s story and findings in her book. When he finished, he gazed up into Cedric’s face to look for a reaction. He seemed calm and his features were relaxed, his head nodded thoughtfully and he finally uncovered the mark.

“Fascinating,” he murmured as he stopped at the foot of the grand staircase. “I’ll keep that theory in mind, thank you, Harry.” He flashed him a grin then climbed the stairs as if nothing out of the ordinary ever happened.

For the rest of that day and all through dinner, Harry thought of nothing but Cedric and Ron’s complicated birthmarks. He even put two and two together and came up with Ron being Cedric’s soulmate, but the thought of Cedric being Ron’s future husband made him feel disorientated. And when he thought of Cho being Cedric’s future wife, he didn’t just feel disorientated, but disgusted, and furious as if there was a great beast inhabiting his gut. The beast uncoiled from its depths and scratched at the insides of Harry’s stomach. When he looked over at the Ravenclaw table, he spotted Cho’s dark shiny hair – she appeared to be bent over a scrap piece of parchment with a quill in hand. The beast turned ferocious as it tried to claw its way out of Harry’s body; it wanted to curse Cho and perhaps incapacitate her. He swallowed it down, what was going on?

Ever since Harry told Cedric about the theory on these birthmarks, he had been more and more curious. He demanded more information but Harry could give him nothing more and persuaded Hermione to let Cedric borrow her book. She did so reluctantly but placed a lively bookmark (the animal occupants moving wildly, just like magical paintings.) between the pages of _The mark of the soulmate_ for them. They both headed out to visit the lake and read the chapter together, Harry was very pleased that for once Cedric had no interest in discussing Quidditch tactics or intricate spells. In spite of bundling up in extra layers, the wintry highland air still stung and bit at exposed flesh. Jack Frost had covered the lake in a thick veneer of ice – a few students had chosen to take up skating and Harry caught a glimpse of tiny winter sprites flitting around the area as if skating there too.

“It says here,” Cedric said, his voice sharp and important. “that these soulmate marks can appear when the occupant has reached the end of childhood. They vary in size, colour, shape – depending on the connected person who shall receive an identical birthmark. Sometimes the connected person won’t receive theirs until they have met their marked soulmate. Although, it is often that the pair will receive their soulmate mark at the same time.”

Harry didn’t know what to say. He was curious about all this but somehow, that beast in his gut was ruining the excitement of this concept. It clawed and growled, telling him things he didn’t want to know.

“Harry?”  
“Hmm?” Harry had let his mind wander off. He’d been too immersed in the flitting winter sprites.  
“Cho doesn’t have a birthmark. I made her check. Does that mean she isn’t my soulmate, that we’re not meant to be together?”

Harry swallowed the acid-coated lump that had been forming in his throat. He tore his eyes away from the ice-laden lake and met Cedric’s misty eyes. They reminded him of winter and the colour of the moon; they were rather beautiful in a haunting way.  
“I dunno, Cedric. This could be a load of bullocks though. We don’t know all this for sure, it’s just a book, right? Books are good at being created out of fiction.”

Cedric smiled and absentmindedly took Harry’s hand. His was warm and comforting, whilst Harry’s could have been made out of a chunk of ice. They walked back up the winding path again and murmured another plan to come down to do more research. Their next investigation session happened in the warmth of the library, seated in front of a circular window that showed a view of the foggy, silvery lake.

But Cedric’s expression turned sour when he discovered there was nothing more to read about these marks. Not in _Wizarding injuries, scars and marks_ anyway. He closed the book heavily and gazed out of the window. The fog was making its way faster and thicker than what was usual for a winter’s day. Harry thought that they were in for a bone-biting, stormy, murky winter. Cedric made no further comment and Harry offered him his hand in hopes they could go back to the previous afternoon. His heart somersaulted inside his chest when Cedric squeezed his palm and stood up to mosey on out of the library. They strolled in silence around the castle and out onto the frosty fields. It was still early on a Saturday morning, both boys wore thick sweaters over thermals and Harry wore baggy jeans while Cedric wore sweatpants. Their sneakers crunched and slid over the grass as they tried their hardest not to descend into mud pools below. Harry was the lead, gripping onto Cedric’s wrist as he carefully chose his footing in the slippery ground. At the bottom of the lawns, Cedric’s hand slid back in Harry’s palm. Neither boy showed any signs of discomfort, However, they still weren’t sure of the reason behind their affection.

It was beyond freezing outside, but the thrill of an unlikely pair holding hands kept them warm. Cedric turned to Harry and noticed a pallid complexion, he dug around in his book bag and pulled out a honey-yellow and black scarf. Harry thought it looked like a bumblebee. Without a word, Cedric wound the woollen scarf around Harry’s neck and tucked the edges beneath his sweater. A fiery glow emanated where Cedric’s fingers brushed, he looked up at the tall boy who beamed into the fog, and wondered, _where had he been all this time?_ Why hadn’t they been friends before the tournament mess? Why hadn’t they stuck by each other since the tragic events which _almost_ killed Cedric?

They trailed back up to the school after a few silent minutes. Cedric acknowledged Harry’s icy skin and tucked their hands into the pocket of his pants. “I like hanging out with you, Harry.”  
The beast in his gut coiled and purred in content.

Harry didn’t notice anything different the next morning, nor did he notice a change when he rejoined his companions in the common room that evening. Hermione was waiting for him by the light of the fire. Ron was asleep in their favourite armchair, seemingly dozed off by the delicious warmth circulating the room.

“Have you and Cedric found anything else about these marks?” Hermione ardently asked.

But Harry shook his head and dropped down into a maroon pouffe.  
“I don’t expect Cedric to either,” Hermione said quietly. Her eyes travelled to Ron’s dormant form. Harry didn’t quite understand the meaning behind that comment.

“We’ve both been searching. Your book is the only source.”  
“Harry, you do know that Cedric’s got more urgent problems going on, right?”

Harry, astounded by these words merely shook his head.  
“But – he seemed alright when I-“  
“Of course he didn’t tell you,” Hermione breathed. “well, I know because it’s all gossip in the girls’ bathrooms. But Cedric broke it off with Cho.”

“What?” Harry mumbled, barely believing it. The couple had been going strong for almost two years now. Hermione, who was stroking Ron’s forehead nodded in agreed astoundment.  
“I know, and the gossip is awful. Cho cries a lot these days, she uses the bathrooms to escape but can barely even do that now. The gossip must follow her around too.”

“Why did they split?”  
“Oh, I don’t know, Harry. Puppy love doesn’t last, you know. I think they were fighting a lot too so it was bound to happen sooner or later.”

This new information was making Harry lightheaded. A year ago, he would have been delighted to find out that Cho was single again, that he might have a chance. But now Cho was far from his mind and in her place stood the silhouette of Cedric. Harry had known he was bisexual for a while now, after facing an embarrassing crush on Oliver Wood, he had to face his true sexuality.  
“Harry,” said Hermione, now in a low whisper. Harry automatically rubbed his scar and tuned into his best friend. “Yes, Hermione?”

“Harry, I have a birthmark too.” And she lifted her pyjama top and peeled back the waistband to expose her right hip. Harry squinted through his spectacles, he wasn’t sure whether they were dirty or there truly was a spot the size of a raindrop on Hermione’s hip.

“Do you see? It’s very small but it’s there.”  
And then Harry saw the spot that looked identical to a freckle. But it was beige with dark edges around it. He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, then set them back on and leaned forward. It was still there and if he peered even closer, he could see that it appeared to be evolving or still taking shape.

“It’s still developing, I think,” Hermione whispered. “I found it tonight, in the shower.”

“It’s the same colour as Ron’s.” Harry pointed out.  
“It looks like a freckle, but the colouring is off and it’s definitely doubling in size,” Hermione added. She gazed back down at it and sure enough, the raindrop freckle was enlarging by the second.  
Ron whimpered in his sleep. Hermione continued to stroke his forehead. Neither of them spoke again about her birthmark or freckle, whichever it was. But Harry had a feeling what it meant, he just wanted to push that very idea to the back of his mind.

He still didn’t notice any differences the following morning. Not until the irritation and itching began. He itched all through his lessons, through lunch and dinner. Itched that very same spot on his left arm, just below the elbow. He had enough by the time he powered through his mashed potatoes and stew, deciding to go straight to the hospital wing to see if there was a cream Madam Pomfrey could give him. But when he twisted his arm around to check the spot, a crimson rash along with a teardrop-shaped mark, the size of a thumbnail burned through his skin. It was pale brown but the colour was evolving as it developed underneath the candlelight. Harry let out an inaudible gasp, it was his turn to bare a birthmark. Thoughts started to swim around in his mind. Soulmate? Fate? It really could mean anything – unless it was just a common side effect from something he’d done or taken. But he couldn’t rack his brains for any potion or ingredient he might have accidentally ingested in the last twenty-four hours.

He didn’t want to alert Hermione or Ron. The burning itching faded, he returned to the common room with the heavy book Hermione lent him and Cedric. He spent an hour swiping through pages, but like Cedric, he could not find any new information about the birthmarks.  
The next day at break, Harry rushed into the nearest bathroom to have another look at the evolving mark. He tore off his school sweater, rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, twisted his arm around, and used the mirror to check. It was the same size and shape as last night but the colour had evolved into caramel – just like Cedric’s. The only difference was that Cedric’s wasn’t a teardrop, just an oddly-shaped mass. He couldn’t believe his eyes, he might have had poor eyesight but that birthmark was definitely there.  
_A teardrop. Why a teardrop?  
_No answer came to mind. He rolled down his sleeve and shrugged back into his sweater, hoping to catch Cedric before lessons started again.  
He found him moving around a stack of barrels near the kitchens.

“Cedric!” Harry called right away. The abrupt call made Cedric jump in fright and almost topple over the barrels like a bowling pin. His head whipped around to locate the source of the voice. Harry noticed his eyes widening when they fell on him.

“Harry, hi!” Cedric greeted. “are you alright?”  
Harry came to a halt near the fruit painting.  
“I’m… fine, thank you,” when he looked into Cedric’s eyes, he could almost sink in. He could seek out a storm in the layers of grey, see the ripples and waves – the pupils dilating when made to look at Harry.  
“I was wondering… if you had any new information on -“  
“Yes! I do, I do!” Cedric blurted before Harry had the chance to finish. He rummaged through his book bag once more and pulled out a rather dusty book.

“ _The book of marks, volume one._ Apparently there’s an alarming amount of wizarding marks,” Cedric said. “Can you afford to skip a class?”  
Harry swallowed back a dry laugh. Cedric skipping class? But he was practically the male version of Hermione. “Yeah, sure.” he thought smugly of his History of Magic lesson and decided that Professor Binns would not miss him.

“Come on, then. Off to the prefect's bathroom, it will be deserted unless somebody else gets the same idea of being truant. I shouldn’t be encouraging this, I won’t get in trouble because uni students can pick and choose their timetable and when they ought to go to class.”  
Harry was thinking that he liked the sound of university. So much so, it didn’t register that Cedric had a steel-iron hold around his wrist. His stomach dipped as they marched onwards, knowing that once again he was going to be alone with this curious boy.

“I’m so glad you found me when you did, Harry,” Cedric said quietly as he flicked through each page. “I just wouldn’t have been able to concentrate on a lecture with all this knowledge bubbling inside of me.”

Harry eagerly leaned over Cedric’s shoulder to read the small print.  
Cedric hovered his wand over the words, neon colours highlighted a ring around each important word or paragraph. A green ring highlighted the first paragraph.

“ – these birthmarks can evolve and take certain shapes, sizes and colours over the coming weeks after they have appeared. It is rare for some to evolve into the shape of said soulmate’s Patronus or zodiac sign – but is possible. Reports have stated these marks can change several times before settling into the skin forevermore.”

Cedric met Harry’s glazed look.  
“Mine has grown, did you notice?”  
Harry saw it before he needed to be told. Cedric’s birthmark had indeed advanced, it had bloomed across the width and length of his adam’s apple, transitioning into a puddle.

“It’s like a muddy puddle. It’s still light though,” Harry murmured.  
“And here it says,” Cedric’s rings highlighted the next fascinating statement. “common shapes are: hearts, stars, the zodiac sign of said soulmate, teardrops –“  
Harry froze at the latter. His mark was that of a teardrop. He didn’t hear the rest of Cedric’s sentence.  
“The shapes won’t always match perfectly, but the colours will.” Another sentence Cedric highlighted.  
“Oh, and here’s another interesting fact: Each birthmark will emit a sting or a burn sensation when said soulmate is in mortal danger. Each birthmark will become darker when in close proximity to the soulmate.”

Harry’s hand absentmindedly clamped over his elbow. The spot where the mark had materialized didn’t itch anymore. “Does it say anywhere that they’re known to itch before they appear?”

Cedric frowned and flipped through more pages. After a few minutes of endless page-turning, he came up with nothing. “Sorry, nothing jumps out. Why? Any of your friends experience that?”  
Harry thought against telling the truth. He already found it odd that the lot of them were going through this change together. They’d done everything together over the years and now were about to discover their soulmates right at the same time. Cedric let the book fall shut, and his eyes slid to Harry and his hue of green. Harry didn’t need to wonder why he liked this particular Hufflepuff so much, it was evident in the way he treated Harry, in the way he acted, cared, moved with an air of guardianship, even in the way he drank Harry in when he thought the boy wasn’t watching.

_Three months after the appearance of the mark._

Harry tucked his diary underneath the mattress and changed into his robes. He didn’t go to breakfast, he didn’t go to class either, his birthmark was throbbing with something that did not pain or itch. It was somehow directing him like Felix Felicis - round corners, down corridors, out into the entrance hall and into a lush, yellow atmosphere. Spring had infected the air, even the flowers that bordered the flagstone walkway sneezed from their own pollen. Pairs of butterflies swirled in the air as if partaking in some kind of magical dance, Harry didn’t stop to admire them for the mark beneath his elbow had a plan and he ought to follow that plan. He strolled to the bottom of the sloping lawns and saw a tall figure edging around the lake, it seemed to be looking out into the green water, waiting for something to appear perhaps. Harry knew he must get to this figure, and as he grew closer he knew he would meet the face of Cedric.  
The taller boy turned around with a smile already plastered on his face.  
“I’m trying to seek the giant squid. Do you think she’s up for some treats today?”  
Harry still didn’t understand any student’s fascination or adoration for that thing.  
“Maybe,” and then he edged around the lake with Cedric, pretending to look for the squid too. He thought he caught sight of a few bubbles and ripples above the surface.

“I have something that I’m finally ready to show you.”  
A look of curiosity etched itself out on Cedric’s features. He turned his back on the rippling lake and closed in around Harry. He was so close, Harry could see the darker pigments in his eyes and the birthmark that expanded over his adam’s apple. It had stretched since the last time he saw it and the edges had faded as if it had aged from the elements.

Cedric stood patiently. Harry took off his robes – much to Cedric’s surprise, rolled up his sleeve and twisted his arm around to reveal the teardrop-shaped birthmark that had now outgrown it’s original size and mirrored Cedric’s. The latter let out a low whistle through his teeth.

“Look at that, is it –“  
“Yes. It appeared out of nowhere. Itched so much as it did.”  
“Interesting,” Cedric mumbled as he dropped lower to get a clearer view. “it’s sort of like mine. The colour, the size …” the rest of his voice thinned out and was lost amongst the choir of cicadas that had reared up for the morning. There was nothing more to say, Harry knew then that Cedric had begun to realize what had happened.  
  
He must have felt the same because his hand started to stray underneath their shared table at lunch, seeking out Harry’s, or coming to rest on his knee instead. And then he began to follow Harry to the courtyard and lean against a wall while he watched Harry study the Maurader’s map. And eventually, Cedric began to find that one discrete moment or corner, where he could finally cradle Harry’s hips – because that’s what his mark told him to do. But not just because the mark said so – because it’s what he desired in his heart. Harry acted as though a stunning spell had hit him the first time Cedric’s lips touched his. He kissed Harry until he forgot all about his current mission or the fact Ron and Hermione were waiting for answers. When all that wasn’t enough, Cedric began to sneak Harry into his common room underneath the invisibility cloak. If they were lucky the room would be deserted and they were free to lounge over each other, kiss, read, kiss, massage their fingertips through each other’s hair, kiss again, cuddle, and just explore this new but exhilarating journey.

“Do you think our marks mean us? You and me?” Cedric asked one evening in the darkest, emptiest corner of the library. Harry was sitting on his lap with his legs crossed around Cedric’s waist, they had to hold their breaths each time Madam Pince pushed passed with the trolley.  
“I think,” Harry replied, tightening his arms around Cedric’s neck like a serpent. “we ought to leave that up to fate or whatever.”

“Fate hasn’t been so kind to us in the past,” Cedric pointed out.  
“True. I just don’t want to fuss around about it too much. We don’t know for sure what these birthmarks mean – we did our research, yes, but it still doesn’t have to mean what the books say. Let’s just enjoy the time we have together – you know, whatever fate decides.” He searched the silvery-grey eyes before him; he could see the moon through them.

At that moment the dim light caught Cedric’s crooked grin. He was looking deeply into Harry’s eyes, imagining the world was normal, there was no dark lord and they were just two young males preparing to embark on a fresh beginning together. He imagined himself drowning in the tides of green, imagined risking his life for him – even dying for him. In return, Harry made a mental oath to keep Cedric safe during the next stage of his secret mission – for he was not going into hiding with him.  
And the silent beast that used to claw at his innards finally coiled again and fell back into its deep slumber – to rest for the remainder of their time.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this: There are more in my oneshot collections to feast your eyes on.


End file.
